Flexible sharp freezing container



Sept. 27, 1932. L. G. coPEMAN FLEXIBLE SHARP FREEZING CONTAINER Filed June 20, 1928 INVENYOR l? d opeman, 3%?

E) ZZJZM A TORNEY. v

Patented Sept. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT- orrlca LLOYD G. COPEMAN, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN, ABSIGNOB TO COPEHAN LABORATORIES COI- PANY, OF FLINT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION 01' MICHIGH a FLEXIBLE SEAR? FREEZING CONTAINER.

Application med June 20,

This invention relates to a flexible sharp freezing container for mechanical refrigerating units and the like, and has to do particu-, larly with ice cube trays formed of flexible -5 material such as rubber.

I have found that an ice cube tray formed mainly of rubber, such as disclosed in my copending application #278,736, filed May 14, 1928, may be formed solely of rubber, of the desired thickness, and that the tray may be filled with water and will stand up in the sharp freezing chamber of itself. However,

it is desirable to have the rubber or equiva- I lent material as thin as possible, and the object of the present invention is to rovide an ice cube tray, preferably formed 0 very thin rubber and so reinforced as to make the same operative as a single independent unit.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an ice cube tray constructed in accordance with the present invention.

- unit. This is the preferred construction but it will be understood that the partitions 2 may be completely separate from the outer tray if desired.

In order to reinforce such a tray if made of fairly thin rubber, I have provided a bead 3 extending around the upper edge of the outer walls of the tray, and this head 3 is preferably reinforced by a suitable wire 4 which while preferably slightly flexible, at the same time materially reinforces the upper edge of the tray.

If desired, each corner 5 of the rectangle formed by the wire 4 may be provided with downwardly extending legs or wires, the depth of the tray, whereby to reinforce the same at the corners. But this construction is not necessary, as in most all practical cases, the rectangular Wire reinforcingmember 4 1928. sum u 286,837.

should be sufiicient to reinforce or steady the tra ach partition 2' is preferablyprovided with a suitable aperture 6 adjacent the bottom thereof whereby to permit water to flow from one chamber to the other and thus equalize the level of thewater in the tray when the same is being filled. These apertures are preferably very small andthus do not materially affect the removal of the ice cubes from the tray.

, With this construction the tray may be suported in the sharp freezing chamber either y means of the upper ledge formed by the bead 3 or by the bottom 7 of the tray in the usual manner. I

In operation, the tray me be filled with water, and being reinforced y the members 3 and 4, it may be easily carried to the refrig- 'erator' and placed in the shar freezin umt. The wire 4, together with the ad 3, will also reinforce the tray when positioned in the sharp freezing unit. When the water has become frozerrthe tray may be removed and the same given a slight longitudinal twisting movement. This will be permitted due to the flexibility of the member 4' and will help loosen the ice cubes, although it will be understood that rubber on the ice tray has an ailinity for water or theice. This twisting movement, however, will not only loosen the cubes but will break the small projections of ice ex-. tending through the apertures 6, and merely by pressing on the bottom of each individual ice cube chamber any one or more of the ice cubes may be. readily ejected as desired.

What I claim isi. i

1. A sharp freezin container of the type adapted to be utilize in connection with mechanical refrigeratin 7 systems comprising a container having wa ls forme of relatively thin flexible rubber, the upper edge ofthe outer walls of the container terminating in a relatively large continuous bead for reinforcing andmaintaining the shape of the thin flexible walls, whereby the container maybe readily manipulated as an individual unit when filled with liquid.

2. A sharp freezing container for use with automatic refrigerating systems, comprising a tra formed of relatively thin, flexible materia a plurality of partitions formed integral therewith to form independent ice cube chambers, a plurality of small openings formed in said dpartitions to permit equalizing of the liquid uring filling, and reinforcin means extending around the upper edge the tray.

3. A sharp freezing container for use with automatic refrigerating systems, com rising a tra formed of relativel thin, flexi le materia a plurality of partitions formed integral therewith to form independent ice cube chambers, a lurality of small openings formed in sai lpartitions to permit equalizing of the liqui during filling, and reinforcing means in the form, of a 'wire extending around the upper, outer edge of the tray.

- 4. A sharp freezing container for'automatic refri rating systems, com rising a tra formed tnf relativel thin flex le materia a plurality of partitions positioned with in the tray for defining the ice cube chambers,

and a relatively large bead and adjacent separate reinforcing means extending around t e upper edge of the outer wall of said tray for reinforcing the same. I I

. 6. A sharp freezing container for automatic refrigerating systems, comprising a so tray formed ofrelatively thin rubber}: plurahty of partitions positioned within t e tray having surfaces also formed of rubber and having a plurality of openings formed in the walls thereof for permitting equalization of the water during filling,

6. A freezing tray ada ted-to be inserted within a freezing cham r, comprisingl a molded flexible container of relatively t in rubber having a stiffening frame extending I 1 around the upper edge thereof whereby the bottom of said container may beflexed relative to said stifl'ening frame to permit easy removal of the frozen contents.

7. A freezing tray ada ted to be inserted within a freezing cham er, comprising a molded rubber container, 9. metal stifi'emng frame extending around the upper portion of said container, a plurality of artitions within the container havin sur aces formed of 5 rubber, the portionsof-t e container and partitions below said metal frame being of relatively thin rubber whereby the bottom of said container may be flexed relative to said metal frame to permit easy removal of the frozen 66 COlltBntS; V

8. A sharp freezing container'for use with automatic refrigerating systems, comprising a tray formed of relatively thin, flexible material, a plurality of partitions formed integral so therewith to form independent ice cube chambers, and a pluralityof openings formed in said (partitions to permit equalizing of the li ui during filling.

4 n testimony whereof I aflix mysignature.

65. v LLOYD G. COPEMAN. 

